Anyone who worked for TV icon David Letterman probably thought it was natural for him to express affection for Chattanooga schoolteacher Bridget Huckabay by strapping her into a harness then flying her across a high wire strung along the ceiling as she shrieked in terror and the audience cheered.
It was his way of helping Huckabay, a former “Late Night with David Letterman” production coordinator, raise money for her wedding in 1988 because she would be paid union scale wages in addition to her regular salary by appearing on camera.
Bridget Huckabay, shown in this 2012 file photo, worked for Letterman 1985 to 1988.Through the years with David Letterman
1980 The daytime talk show “The David Letterman Show” debuts in June and is canceled in October. It wins two Emmys. Feb. 1, 1982 “Late Night with David Letterman” debuts on NBC, airing after “The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson.” May 1991 Johnny Carson announces that he’ll retire as host of “The Tonight Show” in May 1992. June 1991 NBC announces that Jay Leno will replace Carson; Letterman continues to host “Late Night with David Letterman” but is angry that he didn’t get “The Tonight Show” job. June 25, 1993 Final episode of “Late Night with David Letterman” airs. Aug. 30, 1993 Leaving NBC and moving to CBS, Letterman debuts “Late Show with David Letterman,” which airs at 11:30 p.m., the same time as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” 2000 Letterman, age 52, gets quintuple heart bypass and becomes a father for the first time when his son is born. May 20, 2015 Dave Letterman, now 68, retires.
With memorabilia spread across his work station, Brad Steiner, radio personality for Hits 96, wears his Late Show jacket in the studio at WDOD on South Broad Street.
Gina BrownLetterman legacy
* David Letterman has been on late-night for 33 years. * His shows — “Late Night with David Letterman” and “Late Show with David Letterman” — have received 16 Emmy Awards and 112 Emmy nominations. * There have been more than 19,900 guests on Letterman’s late-night shows. * The first Stupid Pet Tricks segment debuted on Letterman’s morning show, “The David Letterman Show,” on June 26, 1980; on his late-night shows, there have been 126 Stupid Pet Tricks segments. * The first Stupid Human Tricks segment debuted on “Late Night with David Letterman” on Oct. 3, 1983; since then there have been 89 Stupid Human Tricks segments on his late-night shows. * The first Top Ten List, “Things That Almost Rhyme With Peas,” was presented on “Late Night” on Sept. 18, 1985; in total, Letterman has presented 5,614 Top Ten lists. * Sportscaster Marv Albert has the most appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman” at 73; Regis Philbin has the most on “Late Show with David Letterman” with 136. * The Suit of Velcro debuted on Feb. 28, 1984; other “suits” include Alka-Seltzer, Magnets, Marshmallows, Potato Chips, Rice Krispies, Suet and Sponges. Source: CBS
On Aug. 30, 1991, after Jay Leno had been announced as the replacement for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show,” Carson had David Letterman as a guest. Carson asked: “How pissed are you?” and Letterman replied: “Let me give you a little piece of advice. You keep using language like that, you’re going to find yourself out of a job.”Read more
Paul Shaffer is ready to disband ‘Late Night’s’ CBS Orchestra